It's unlikely that musician John Miles was watching Eurovision at the weekend. He knows only too well what a trauma the contest can be - at least the run-up to it.

For two years ago John - son of THE John Miles, guitarist with Tina Turner and who had a number three it in 1976 with Music - wrote and performed a ditty for Song For Europe.

You've Taken My Dreams, performed by his band at the time, Jay, didn't win, and so John, from West Boldon, never made it to Eurovision proper.

Instead, he concentrated on putting a new band together, which he is hoping will emulate the success he had with another of his groups, Milk Incorporated, which has a No 1 in Belgium and Spain.

Fixate are the latest in a long line of "boy bands" who, as ever, claim to offer something different.

Whether that is true or not, Fixate are getting great exposure, having first supported Westlife in February and now supporting Ronan Keating at the Telewest Arena on Saturday and Sunday.

"No ker-azy" mis-spellings, no squeaky-clean hypocrisy, no choreographed dance routines, and no ballads. At least not until single No 3," laughs John, 22.

Fixate comprises John and former Jay bandmate Jamie Callis, 23, plus Paul Middleton, 21; Justin Osuji, 17; and Christian Fry, 24 - the latter three having had chart success in their own right as solo artists.

"I met Christian over in LA when I was doing a session for Joe Cocker," explains guitarist John. Christian and his mate Justin had done the likes of Boyzone tours, so the two of them loved the music we were writing at the time.

"So they joined Jamie, Paul and myself."

John says Fixate's music is popR&B. "The producers we're working with the likes of Craig David," he goes on.

"It's brilliant that we're doing this tour.

It's great publicity for us. The people who will hopefully be buying our music are the same as those who follow Westlife and Ronan.

"You couldn't ask for a better way of promotion."

The lads' debut single 247 is due for release next month. "This is a great way of introducing it to people," says John, who tries to come home to the North East as often as possible.

"If I've got a few days off I'll try to make it back up here to meet my mates, then fly back again" he says.